I walked in while Led Zeppelin was playing throughout the cafe. Am I in Lawrence? Indeed, yes Dorothy, yes I am. It felt like I took a mini day trip to Brooklyn, NY. Good music, books on a shelf to entertain guests, free wifi, great decor.... I really liked the vibe. I got the steak torta. It was made fresh and was delicious. I devoured it, actually. Beverages are served in mason jars. Great place if you happen to be in the area. Check it out. read more

Thankfully, the great family that owns Cafe Azteca took over the former Cafe Verde space and have made it a bookstore-cafe. I've had lunch there twice now and bought books for others (and received one of their books as a gift!). The menu is great and clearly evolving from various community requests. The book selection is unique. While not as large (of course) as the Andover Bookstore, it's a carefully curated selection of excellent choices for both Spanish and English speakers. I feel comfortable buying a book there for anyone - high praise, as a book nerd. read more

The food was so good! And great coffee but service is slow. My waitress very sweet but she was overwhelmed w the counter and tables wish they had more servers. Really good chilaquilesss read more

The food is great here and the Oh Marin wine is something I dream about. Unfortunately their servers aren't the best, young kids -new job probably . But that's not a problem, just sit at the bar. Looking forward to open mike on the 3rd Thursday of the month. Also love the community awareness! Keep it up! read more

We have been here two times for art events for friends both times we loved it. They have this amazing Espresso with Vanilla Ice cream thing so good I devoured two of them. My husband loves the Hot chocolate and their food is good as well. the atmosphere is fun and inviting and a great hangout spot! read more

I sometimes need to be up to Andover on weeknights, and to avoid the seventh circle of Hell (which is also known as I-95 North at rush hour), I've been looking for a proper coffeehouse in the area to set up camp and get some quality work done. I haven't been to downtown Law-town for a while so I wasn't sure what to expect, but the pictures on yelp led me to believe this could be a good space to get stuff done. Must say I'm impressed! Street parking is cheap and easy. Wifi connection quality is fantastic (which is more than can be said for the Starbuckses in the area). Lots of seating space so easy to find a table to work at. Service is great. Good music. Great funky coffeehouse vibe with an appropriately local Lawrence flavor. Have not tried the food yet. Coffee quality is fine. And they serve beer! read more

This is more of a restaurant than a coffeehouse. The service was good, but I really would have preferred counter service. I would not feel comfortable bringing a book or a laptop here and lingering a while. Even though they host a knitting club and a book group (a "revolutionary book group"!), it really felt like they wanted us to order food and go. They're also closed Sundays, along with the rest of Lawrence. read more

This place is a diamond in the rough. And by rough, I mean Lawrence, MA. It's a super cool space with decent food. What sticks out for me is the staff, they are ALWAYS friendly and hospitable. read more

I always went to El Taller being a resident in Lawrence, was a frequent customer when they first opened with poetry slams, recently went and the quesadilla was not special and looked like a child made it. Flavor was decent presentation was not. Waiter also forgot my beans and wore a hoodie... Although place is trendy and modern I did not think that looked professional one bit. read more

El Taller - Okay flavor, horrible presentation. - Bookstores Near Me - Lawrence, Massachusetts

El Taller is a great small, local place to grab a coffee, a beer, or a torta (sandwich). It can have a bit of a hipster feel, especially on slam poetry nights but it's always a welcoming place. If you're looking for a place with impeccable and speedy table service, keep looking, but if you want tasty food in a friendly environment where you can linger and chat as long as you like then be sure to check it out! read more

This place is a treasure in the center of Lawrence: good food and a nice stock of books that you can browse while eating or buy. I picked up a nice lit crit book as well as a beautifully illustrated children's book for my grandson. The stock of books covers a wide spectrum of ages and topics. The store's owner is a retired teacher who obviously knows and loves books. The sales help is very friendly. Retired UML Prof. read more

Really loved the vibe in here - service was great and friendly. The food was yummy and adequately priced. Recommend!

Excellent neighborhood cafe, gathering place, and small bookstore. The cafe delivers well on its small menu: very good tortas and chilaquiles and chicken entomatada. Wifi, coffee, some wine and beer, a few books, open mic. The best of Chef Antonio (see Cafe Azteca a couple blocks away) in a laid back coffee house setting. Easy to stay a while at El Taller! read more

Best coffee in Lawrence. Super cool atmosphere. I haven't eaten the food yet but I am excited to try it.

Great small little cafe/bookstore in historic downtown Lawrence. The coffee is delicious as well as their cookies. Neat and comfortable vibe and atmosphere. Definitely a place I will be stopping by the next time I am in Lawrence. read more

Love the vibe here. Very eclectic mix of artists, professionals and locals. Pleasant little surprise in downtown Lawrence historical district. Food is great, smaller portions, drinks are great as well. I love coming to art shows and pop up shops here. Only wish there were more places like this in Lawrence. read more

This is an excellent spot in Lawrence to relax and grab a bite. Good spot to do some work on busy Saturday afternoons. The service is superb and very friendly. Love the general feel and decor - a nice blend of cultural pride and modern twists. Truly... Any spot I can get a warm cup of tea, delicious Dominican food, and a cold beer definitely helps this work feel a lot less burdensome. read more

Great coffee and food. Try the backwards nachos. Great art on the walls. What a good find. Free wifi too. read more

El Taller - Bookstores Near Me - Lawrence, Massachusetts

Good food. Nice place to hang out. Customer service is on point . The decor is pretty nice, the benches are pretty cool. Love the atmosphere. read more

El Taller - Really good place to hang out. Food was delicious. Like they cool benches customer service is good. - Bookstores Near Me - Lawrence, Massachusetts

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Talk about amazing food, good service, and a quaint relaxed environment. I was on a work trip to Lawrence for the day and while waiting for clients, I decided to stop in. Best decision I made. I ordered the Chorizo Torta with Tostones. HOLY DELISH!!! Those tostones were melting in my mouth delicious. If I lived close to El Taller I would be very poor. If you are around the area you should absolutely go there!! You will not be disappointed. read more

This place is fantastic. The vibe is chill and energetic at the same time. The wait staff is friendly and interested. I went on a Tuesday for 35 cent wings and I'll definitely be going back! read more

Had a teeny beef sandwich which was somewhat high on price. It was on soggy white roll, minimal onion and hardened beef, but lots of soggy lettuce. This was my worst visit so far. The food was plainly tasteless and less than mediocre. The service was extremely slow. I left felling that it was a good experience for people who could care less about their food and customers. read more

Great place! Well located with good food and very friendly environment. Beautiful artistic space where you can eat and listen to live music in the presence of books! read more

A friend introduced me to this little gem today. What a treat! The salad and iced coffee were delicious, and the server was a pleasure to chat with. I will definitely be back soon. read more

This is a local culture and literacy institution and they sell amazing food to top it off. The entomatada is to die for. Try the bruschetta and affogatto, and do yourself a favor, attend an open mike or free yoga lesson. You may just find yourself a new extended family. read more

Great lunch options and coffee. The space is open and inviting and clean. Looks like they have live music too. I had the molletes, an open face bean, queso, salsa, and jalapeños. Flavorful without being greasy. try it out read more

What a great place! Lots to look at, friendly efficient service and an interesting menu with both familiar and novel choices. The fact that all was yummy was the icing on the cake! read more

Great for what it is. Small cafe style restaurant. It can be a little slow sometimes. But always worth the wait

A friend told me about this place and she also worked there. Their Hazelnut Chai latte is amazing, BBQ chicken with loaded fries bomb.com and the mayo ketchup is also amazing. I love this place. The atmosphere is very calming and relaxing. My place to be after getting out class and do some studying. Just wished they would stop going up on theirs prices. Prices keeping, I would have to find another spot to go to. read more

We have visited El Taller three times during this Covid period, and feel confident all precautions are being taken to assure safe dining. If you haven't yet discovered this incredible spot, you are missing out in experiencing one of the most unique offerings in the Merrimack Valley. Located in downtown Lawrence, El Taller is a creative and relaxed space with a very cool vibe. It is a perfect gathering space for both dining and working. The food is incredible; everything is fresh and made to order. Also, if you're a coffee lover, this is your place! The staff is wonderful; welcoming and attentive. (they go above and beyond; Eric helped my daughter carry a large coffee order out to her car!) Helping small businesses continue to thrive is critical during this challenging time, and El Taller is a local gem that deserves our support. Please check it out for yourself. You will be happy you did! read more

The best cafe on Earth!! Lovely food & lovely atmosphere of you're into all that hipster stuff.

This place sucks. The menu is way to small and the few options on it are basically all the same. I don't recommend this place to anyone.

This is truely a hidden gem, it has a great atmosphere and great food. Great place for lunch. It didn't get the 5 star because once I order a salad and in general it was really good until I realized it was spicy, they could have warn me. read more

Such a great place. Delicious food (try the grilled steak torta!), great prices, very friendly staff, fab community spirit, cool design, open long hours. What more could you want? read more

In town for a short time... and couldn't think of a better place to be. Great food (especially for a vegetarian), awesome Spanish latte, great Latin music, great art and a small but well curated book section. A comfortable place to be. Really nice staff as well. What's not to love. read more

Good food, nice people and environment, prices super cheap. Will go back every time I pass by Lawrence.

I want to like El Taller, I really do - but I appreciate it more so for being a socially conscious small business, and not necessarily an outstanding food place. Positive note: the interior is great, no question about it. The bookstore/cafe concept is cool, I can dig it, promote literacy in a city stricken with educational degradation, etc. I applaud that. But, I've given this place plenty of chances and the food has always been just okay for me. I ordered take-out for lunch last week, and got the pork torta. I was really looking forward to a good torta - and I have pretty laid back expectations - but the torta I got was a let down, the bread was really soggy. It lacked that crispy texture, it was like biting into a sad, cold, sandwich. The fries were also cold and soggyy. I also asked for extra salsa, but didn't get it. Another thing, when I ordered I had to repeat my order multiple times? I didn't know how to make myself anymore clear but maybe I was talking too fast. The other times I gotten a torta before this was okay too, but this was just the worst. Everything else, I've gotten from here food-wise is okay and never quite fill me up (I get it, it's more of a cafe then an actual restaurant). The drinks, coffee and milkshakes are great though. I recommend coming here for a drink. Besides that, I'll leave on a positive note: the staff seems pretty friendly, the open kitchen looks very clean, and again, the space and decor is very nice. And they serve beer! So I'll come here after work next time for alcohol instead. read more

I just visited this restaurant recently and I loved the experience. Great atmosphere, good food, very friendly staff (which is hugely important for me!), and very decent prices. They have books available for purchase, beautiful art on the walls, good music playing. It's very laid back and different from any other cafes in the area. I look forward to my next visit. read more

Place is lit. Delicious quesadillas, sandwiches, salads, and coffee. Very nice and hardworking young staff.

We were given this location as a dinner option from a colleague as we were passing through Lawrence on site for a job. This was the most amazing experience apart from taking in Lawrence as a whole. We had happened upon one of their poetry(?) nights put on by Bread Loaf. I ordered their Sopa and sat down at a table by the windows and began to enjoy our amazing experience at El Taller. We were stunned...amazed by the performances from these young adults. The kindness and professionalism presented by the staff was incredible which was followed by the amazing simple yet delicious food. I of course only had the Sopa but the flavors of this incredibly simple and traditional dish was enjoyed so much more by the sense of community and ownership this little restaurant seemed to evoke. It was like eating surrounded by all your friends and family. If not for the food stop in for a coffee, a quick snack. You won't regret it. One criticism I had was that for a late 20's something person, it was quite loud. I had to avert my ears for a little because they felt like the were going to pop. Otherwise...amazing experience. read more